Al Mutawa to chair the Gulf Youth Championship organising committee

The Basketball Association has named the organising committee for the Gulf Youth Championship, to be hosted at Al Wasl's hall in Dubai. Secretary general Salem Al Mutawa chairs the supreme organising committee and board member Farid Al Qaiwani is tournament director. The competition begins on the 29th of this month with six Gulf teams taking part alongside the hosts: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

All the tournament's sub-committees have been formed and held a first meeting attended by every member, at which the requirements for organisational success were discussed — particularly as the event sits under the Asian federation's umbrella and qualifies teams for the Asian finals at youth level.

Salem Al Mutawa presented the organisational arrangements to the committee, stressing the need to remove every obstacle and for everyone to contribute so that the tournament matches what people have come to expect when Dubai hosts a sporting event. He thanked Dubai Sports Council, with the tournament staged through cooperation between the local federation, the council and the Asian federation.

“Our work will be concerned first and foremost with presenting this Asian event in the best possible light, to confirm the UAE federation's role in the region and on the continent at the same time,” Al Mutawa said. “We invite supporters of the game to come to the hall and encourage these young players from around the Gulf to produce their best.”

Farid Al Qaiwani said: “Full coordination has taken place with Al Wasl over training times for the competing teams, with the Salah Al Din hall also available for practice. This event matters enormously at this age group, as a crucial staging post towards major continental competition in future.”

He added: “The schedule has been set. The tournament begins on Friday 29 July and runs to 6 August, with the competing teams getting only two rest days, on 1 and 4 August.”